Chattanooga named host site for selective national quantum educator cohort
This NSF-supported initiative brings Sandia National Laboratories’ quantum educator program to select communities nationwide.
Chattanooga has been selected as one of only 20 communities nationwide to host a 2026 educator cohort for QCaMP (Quantum, Computing, Mathematics, and Physics Camp).
Building the quantum talent pipeline
As recently covered in our “Quantum in Action” recap, it is clear that the city has embraced the reality that quantum is not theoretical. Quantum is here, and early adoption is key for workforce development.
The QCaMP initiative, scheduled for June 22–26, 2026, at The University of Tennessee Chattanooga (UTC), targets the very beginning of the talent pipeline: the educators.
By providing teachers with a $500 stipend for completing the course (and an additional $500 if they choose to implement learnings into their classroom), the goal is to foster teacher confidence so that the future workforce is quantum-literate at the K-12 level, rather than being introduced to the concepts for the first time at university.
“This is a meaningful professional learning opportunity for our educators,” said Dr. Blake Freeman, Chief Academic Officer for Hamilton County Department of Education. “It creates space for teachers to explore new ideas together and consider how those ideas may shape the opportunities available to our students in the years ahead.”
UTC Chancellor Lori Bruce agreed. “Programs like this help connect cutting-edge research with classroom learning. We are helping bring quantum concepts into K–12 education and building pathways that prepare students for the emerging technology workforce.”
Why Chattanooga?
Chattanooga is the ideal host for such a selective program due to an existing quantum ecosystem that few other mid-sized, or even large, cities can match.
The city offers EPB’s Quantum Network, the first commercially available quantum computing and networking hub in the U.S.
UTC has also recently launched their new Nanoengineering Center. This Center supports the materials, nano-enabled fabrication and predictive modeling that make quantum technologies practical.
But what truly sets the city apart is how these quantum community partners talk to one another. The Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative brings together UTC, EPB, CO.LAB and others to showcase how a city can align its utility, academic and entrepreneurial sectors for innovation.
Apply now
The program is open to classroom teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders across the region. With only 20 host sites nationally, space is expected to be highly competitive.
Apply by April 10, 2026, here.
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